Refrigerator display case



Sept. 27, 1938. w. A. ELLswoRTH ET AL REFRIGERATOR DI SPLAY CASE 5Sheets--She/rl l Filed NOV. l0, 1954 Sept. 27, 1938. w. A. ELLswoRTH ErAl. 2,131,587

REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY CASE FiledNov. ll0, v1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4Q (H575,9 i9 535 y y Sept. 27, 1938. w. A. ELLswoRTl-l ET AL 2,131,587

REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY CASE Filed Nov. 10, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wwwPatented Sept. 27, A1938 REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY-CASE e Company,y St. Paul,Minnesota Minn.,V acorporation of Application November-1o, 1934, serialNo. 752,486..

7 Claims.

This is a refrigerator shoW case Whereinan illuminated means which issealedfrom the inside and outside of the case is provided, to illuminatethe contents o-f the case whenV it 'is desired.

A feature resides in rproviding an illuminating means built into therrefrigerator case orcabinet and wherein the heat from the illuminatingmeans is insulated from the refrigerator chamber of the cabinet toprevent the light from raising or influencing the temperature inthe'refrigerating case.

A further feature resides in providing a means of dissipating the heatkfrom the illuminating means Without Ventilating. openings, from .thelight Well, to the outer atmosphere. The illuminating means is sealed inthe light vWell andfis kept clean and free of dust or foreign matterwhich might otherwise be inclined tofcollectin the light Well and on theilluminating means.

This is an'important feature in that it overcomes the disadvantagesfound in prior refrigerator constructions where'the illuminating meansWasbuilt into the refrigeratoricabinet and-where ventilating openingshave been provided to permit .the heat to be carried out oftheflightwell.

The invention further provides ameansf-of ac- Cess to the -light Well'so that the electric lights used therein may bereplaced whenfdesired.This accessible means tothe light well may lie-through the--insidey -ofc the refrigerator chamber of `the showcase, .or it maybefrom theoutside, sothat .whenever itis desired;r newelectric dightsmay be putinwplace. W-h'en ytheflightfvvell -isfclosedg howeverfthelights aresealedfrom the inner :refrigerating chamber ofthe-show case and theouter atmosphere.

It is also-a feature --to provideanzinsulation `of a`transparentnatureon .the'insideffof' .-the light Well so that the.lightfrom the electric lights,- in thesame Will. shine ,into the.refrigerator .chamber.. This.insulatingmeansvisof a certain character so.as to prevent any. of the heat generated by thefelectric lights` intheY light Well from entering the refrigerating. chamber. The inner v orupper end -of Vthe YWell Yis. direot1y connected .to

a the outer metal casing of the refrigerator cabinet,

WhileY the inner shellof thelightwellis made of arheat conductingmetalgsuch'as copperor .other similar4 material, so as todissipate theheat generated by ,the lights vin the light Wellgto the outer casing ofthe refrigerator. Then the casing ofthe refrigerator acts as a radiator,disposingof.. the heat by radiating it away from the light. Well. YInthis marinera virtually hermeticallyV sealed light Well may bekprovidedwhich isa material advantage over fth'ezold yforms:whichz haveybeen-used: to I' Figure 4 isanenlargedv longitudinal sectionnon thelines 4-4 of Figure.

Figure 5 isa transverse:enlargedsectional:detail l of f another formofattaching vthelight: well and giving accessfto thefsame.

Figure 6 .is a 'longitudinal section `on :the lines 6-6 of Figure 5.

The drawings illustrate-our refrigerator show caseA Which'isdesigneditov-provide-iacmeans of displaying .perishablegoodssuchv asmeatsfvegetables, `fruits,` andl other similarr foods, fWhe-reeit isdesirable to keep the same under refrigeration and v at the Sametime.'display fthe goods :to nfthefcuse tomers.. The refrigerator-A hasaflarge showwvin= dow y-I 0 inz-the .ffrontof. the same. :s This fwindowvis made `of .severalispaced' apart paneswfof glass ieI I which.have-.dead air; spacesrl 2..:between ftheA same so vas. to thoroughly zinsulate .z the `refrigerator chamber ..B- .Within .the cabinet1`Af-fromathe. -outer atmosphere. The Window I0imayzbe=ofanyrsuitablesize .in .accordanceWi-ththe design fand' constructionf of.-therefrigeratoricabinet A.-

.Access tothe. refrigerator-'chamber B fisfzmade t through the sliding.doorsfC fat thevbackiof-the refrigerator show.v case A.-. The r:doors Chave Windows I.3..th'erein so,.that. the'y contentsrofith refrigeratorchamber .Br is :also-visible :fromfthe loick ofthe refrigeratorthroughthe door windows The refrigerator: A tis -providedwith two" toprails I 4 and I5. .which are spaced apart and provide thelongitudinally?extending? insulatingitop rail portion for.vthe.freirigerator:cabinet .Be tween these -rails .the desired forn'rof.insulating material .is provided .fto'form .the toprfshelfa!! of ttherefrigerator A.v

At intervals betweenxthe rails Hiand lslight wellsare providedbyfleavingout the insulating material betweentherails Ital-1d. I 5I for a distanceas. illustratedinFigures 4 and 6to-give the (de.- sired .length4 to `thelight well D.. Several @ofy ithese lightwel-ls may .beformed in'L thetop.gframefof the refrigerator cabinet A, and` in the construction of thesame illustrated in Figure 1 I have shown two of the light wells D. Thelight wells D are adapted to inclose the electric lights E within thelight chamber I6.

Suitable light reflectors I'I are mounted upon the bracket I8 which isadapted to secure the light reflecting shield I'I directly to the lightwell hood I9. The hood I9 is made of suitable metal, such as copper orother metal being of a good heat conducting character, so that the heatfrom the lights E which is carried on through the bracket and dissipatedto the reflector I'I may be picked up by the hood I9.` The hood I9 isformed with depending flanges 29 on the sides of the same, which extenddown on all sides of the reflector I'I and which are spaced therefrom toprovide the air space 2I between the same, The depending flanges 20 ofthe heat collecting hood I9, which are made of copper or similar heatconducting material, are also spaced from the sides 22 of the light wellD so as to form the air space 23 about the flanges 20 of the hood I9,thereby providing an air space about the same.

The heat collecting hood I9 is formed with a marginal top viiange 25which projects about the same and is adapted to form a comparativelywide metallic contact or heat conducting contact with the metal outersheathing 26 of the refrigerator case, which extends over the outside ofthe top of the refrigerator A. In this form of the constructiomthe heatcollecting hood I9 is secured in place by bearing strips 2I upon whichthe outer enamelled sheathing 28 rests. Suitable screws 29 hold thebearing strips 2l in intimate contact with the ange 25 to press the sametightly against the edge of the outer sheathing 26, thereby making asubstantial contact which will readily carry the heat from the hood I9to the sheathing 26.

The bracket I 8 extends through the light shield I 'I and the hood I 9and is secured in place by the lock nuts 30. The electric wires 3| forthe lights E extend out through the bracket I8. The upper 'end of thehood I9 is adapted to be covered by an outer cover 32 held by the screws33 to the enamelled casing 28. The cover 32 may be enamelled in the samemanner as the casing`28 and may be formed with Ventilating openings 34therein, if it is desired, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. In theform illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the cover 32 is not Yprovided withthe ventilating openings 34.

The light well D is closed on the inside by the window 35 which is madeup of the hard rubber frame 36 having an attaching flange 31 which holdsthe frame 36 by the screws 38 in place to close the lower or inner endof the light well D. The window 35 is composed of a series oftransparent window panes 39 which are held spaced apart in the frame 36to provide the dead air spaces 40, thereby thoroughly insulating thelight well from the refrigerating chamber B.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the refrigerator A, the lights E' may be changedwhen it is desired, by removing the frame 36 by loosening the screws 38.Thus whenever it is desired to replace the lights E in this form of therefrigerator A, the frame 36 is removed from the inside of the chamberB. In this form of the light well D, a wide bearing flange 25 dissipatesthe heat from the light well D to the outer casing'26. The casing 26 isof metal or other heat conducting material and is adapted to carry theheat along the top of the refrigerator on the outside of the same.

This outer casing 26 which is preferably of metal, is adapted to becovered by the outer enamelled casing 28 which is held spaced away fromthe metal covering 26, and thus the heat from the lights E may becarried to the outer metal covering and dissipated into the outeratmosphere. The heavy window insulating means 35 on the inside of thelight well D, prevents any of the heat from the lights E entering therefrigerating chamber B'. The lights E are sealed in the light well Dvand are thus kept clean practically as long as the lights will last,thereby giving a good, clear,

clean light into the refrigerator compartment B.

In the construction illustrated in Figures and 6, the heat deflectinghood, together with the light reflector, is removably secured by meansof the screws 42. The screws 42 hold the flange 25 of the heat deilectorhood I9 in intimate contact with the metal sheathing 26, so that anyheat gathered by the hood I9 is conducted out from the same into themetal sheathing 29 which extends longitudinally along over the beams` I4and I5. In this construction, the cover 32 is removable so that theyheat deflecting hood I9 maybe removed to permit new electric lights E tobe placed in the supporting bracket I8. This gives easy access to thelights E when it is desired to change the same. In this construction,the window 35 remains fixed in position to close the inner end of thelight well D.

The window 35, made up of the multiplicity of panes 39 provides a veryefficient insulating means to prevent any heat from the light wellentering the compartment B. This is more essential where the light wellis sealed from the outer atmosphere, otherwise the heat might penetrateinto the refrigerating compartment B. lThe light supporting bracket I8is made of a hollow tubular nature and is adapted to provide inlet andoutlet means for the electric wires 3|- and also provides a radiatingmeans to carry off some of the heat from the lights E to the outeratmosphere. 'I'his hollow bracket I8, however, is sealed by the locknuts 39 from the inner chamber of the light well so that no dust or dirtcan be directed into the same through the bracket I8. The hollow andmetal nature of the bracket I8 provides an additional means of radiatingthe heat out of the light well D.l

The sealed lighting means for refrigerator show cases is also moredesirable because itpermits the greatest efficiency to be obtained fromthe lighting means. No dust or dirt can enter the light Welland settleupon the glass which is between the light well and therefrigerator'compartment, like in the old forms of show caserefrigerators where a light well with a Ventilating opening to the outeratmosphere was provided. Neither can any foreign matter, gnats or bugsenter the light well and interfere with the passage of light from thelight well to the refrigerator compartment in our hermetically sealedlight well.

1. The combination of, an insulating frame adapted to provide arefrigerator show case, a

refrigerator compartment within said showcase, a shoW Window, a heatradiating covering on said insulating frame, a light well in said framesealed from the atmosphere, a heat collecting means in said light welladapted to support electric lights therein, and means connecting saidheat collecting means to said outer heat radiating covering to provide aradiating means for radiating the heat away from said light Well.

2. The combination, a display refrigerator case, an insulating bodyadapted to form said case, a display window, an outer metal sheathingfor said body, light Well means formed in said body, electric lightspositioned in said light well, an insulating window sealing said lightwell on the inside toward the refrigerating compartment of said showcase, and means for collecting and radiating the heat from the electriclights in said light well means to the outer metal sheathing of saidcase, said heat collecting means closing said light well means to theouter atmosphere.

3. The combination, a refrigerator show case having an insulated body,an insulated display window adapted to insulate the refrigeratorcompartment on the inside of said case from the outer atmosphere andproviding a transparent window to display the contents of said case, alight well formed in said body having an insulated Window to directlight into the refrigerating compartment of said case and having anature to insulate the light well from the refrigerator compartment, aheat conductor hood of copper or the like, a light reflector mounted insaid hood, electric lights mounted in said reflector, a bracket forsupporting said lights having a hollow nature and extending through saidreflector and said heat radiating hood, said heat radiating hood closingsaid light well to the outer atmosphere, and means connected with saidheat radiating hood to provide an outer additional heat radiating meansadapted to carry away the heat from the electric lights in saidreflector to the outer atmosphere while said light well is hermeticallysealed.

4. A light well for a refrigerator including, a light reflecting member,means for mounting electric light means in said reflector, an air spaceabout said reflector, a heat radiating hood spaced from and extendingabout said reflector, an insulating, transparent window at the open sideof said reflector and said heat radiating hood, iiange means forsupporting said heat radiating hood to hold the same spaced from theside Walls of said light well to provide an air space thereabout, and

means for clamping said flange means to the outer heat radiating surfaceof said case, whereby heat from the light well is radiated to the outeratmosphere with said light well hermetically sealed.

5. The combination, a refrigerator body having an insulating character,a light well hermetically sealed from the atmosphere formed in said bodyhaving electric lights therein, a light reflector, an air space aboutsaid reflector, a heat radiating and heat collecting hood spaced fromand extending about said reflector, means for spacing said heatradiatinghood from the inner Walls of said light well, an insulatingtransparent window on one side of said light well to transmit'light fromthe electric lights to the refrigerating compartment of saidrefrigerator case, and means for holding said Window removable to giveaccess to the electric lights in said Well.

6. A light well for a refrigerator display case orv the like, including,a hermetically sealed light Well, electric light means in said lightWell, light reflector means, means insulating said light well by atransparent window to direct light to the refrigerating comparment,means connecting said light well to the refrigerator outer surface forradiating heat from said light well to the outer atmosphere along thesurface of the display case, and guard means over the outer portion ofsaid light Well to conduct heat away from the light Well.

7. A light well for a refrigerator including, an insulating Windowhaving dead air spaces therein and adapted to permit light to beprojected into the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator, a lightreflector hood, and a heat collecting and radiating hood connectedtogether and spaced apart to provide air spaces therebetween and adaptedto close one side of the light Well, and means contacting with said heatcollector and radiating hood to provide a conducting contact outside ofthe refrigerator to radiate heat away from said hood which is shut up insaid light well.

WALTER A. ELLSWORTH. ENOCH SWEDMAN. f

